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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Safe to buy a MB?

Safe to buy a MB?
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crazeinc
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Jun 20, 2007, 07:06 PM
 
I've been using a MB Pro for the last year and a half with zero complaints, but I've left my job (and the laptop) and moving on to a freelance career and need a replacement. Working in an office all of the time, compared to working out of coffee shops and traveling to different clients has changed my requirements.

A MB is seems like the right decision because I like it's smaller size, better battery life, and better wireless, but my concerns are:

* Everyone I know with a MB has had some problem with it (this is not an exaggeration)
* The battery life isn't that much better than the MB Pro (I miss getting 5 hours with my 12" iBook)
* Doesn't have the new Airport N card

Is this the experience most are having with these? Should I be waiting for another rev like when Leopard is released?

Thanks,
PJ
( Last edited by crazeinc; Jun 20, 2007 at 07:18 PM. )
     
MacosNerd
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Jun 20, 2007, 07:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by crazeinc View Post
* Everyone I know with a MB has had some problem with it (this is not an exaggeration)
* The battery life isn't that much better than the MB Pro (I miss getting 5 hours with my 12" iBook)
* Doesn't have the new Airport N card
Sure its safe, the complaints you post aren't really complaints about defects or poor workmanship. They're more of design issues and if you're happy with the current configuration of MacBooks, I say go for it. That is of course you need an Airport N card, or 5 hours of battery life.

Well since you're reading my post I can say I've not had any problems with my MacBook and while I am selling it for a MBP, its not because I'm unhappy with it. I need a larger screen for what I'm looking to do. Overall the MB is a great machine and other then some of the initial problems first posted (discoloration, heat etc) when apple first introduced them they've been virtually problem free.
     
frdmfghtr
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Jun 20, 2007, 10:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by crazeinc View Post
I've been using a MB Pro for the last year and a half with zero complaints...

[snip]

A MB is seems like the right decision because I like it's smaller size, better battery life, and better wireless, but my concerns are:

* Everyone I know with a MB has had some problem with it (this is not an exaggeration)
* The battery life isn't that much better than the MB Pro (I miss getting 5 hours with my 12" iBook)
* Doesn't have the new Airport N card
(1) You used one for 18 months with no complaints, so you already know that you like it;

(2) I miss the 12" iBook battery marathon too, but the 13" MB isn't so bad...I get about 4 hours out of mine;

(2) The MacBook Core 2 Duos support 802.11n; I had to pay the $2 for the enabler, but I think the new ones have it already enabled.

I say go for it, and enjoy!
     
amazing
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Jun 20, 2007, 10:18 PM
 
Check out the benchmarks of the new MBPs and the MB at MacWorld. The MB is really very fast (as long as you're not into gaming), and you should be able to do a lot with the $ price difference, eg buying a beautiful external monitor for those occasions when you need more screen real estate.

Macworld: Review: MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo/2.2GHz and 2.4GHz

You will be wanting to pay the Leopard upgrade tax in October, unless you've got something decent to tide you over for 5 months?
     
ghporter
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Jun 20, 2007, 10:39 PM
 
Everyone I know who owns a MacBook has had ZERO problems. Three white MBs and one BlackBook, used from as much as about 9 months to as little as about 3 days. No problems, no worries, no fuss. "They just work."

Go for it!

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
dmgboots
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Jun 21, 2007, 01:57 AM
 
I've only had my black MB 3 days and so far it is working wonderfully. I don't see why you'd need a MBP for what you plan on doing now.
     
MacosNerd
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Jun 21, 2007, 07:43 AM
 
Originally Posted by crazeinc View Post
I* Everyone I know with a MB has had some problem with it (this is not an exaggeration)
So there you have it, you can no longer claim this statement after reading this thread so now you know people who have had 0 problems
     
crazeinc  (op)
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Jun 22, 2007, 11:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by MacosNerd View Post
So there you have it, you can no longer claim this statement after reading this thread so now you know people who have had 0 problems
you guys got me, i'll give you that.

I'm glad to hear that the MB has the N-card (Apple should mention that on their site), but I'm still kinda bummed about the battery life. I'd be happy to sacrifice performance for an extra hour or so, oh well.
     
tiger
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Jun 23, 2007, 02:29 AM
 
I've had 0 Problems with my MacBook that was a freebie, from November 06, works great, it also spans into a 23 inch Cinema Display.
     
Def_ears
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Jun 23, 2007, 03:07 AM
 
Hate to be a bummer, but the first MB I bought, came with a bad heat-sync. It would just shut down out of nowhere, over and over again. It was manufactured July,06. Apple had me ship it back so they could replace the bad components, and when I got it back, the Pheonix diagnostic software was still on the screen. I called and complained, and they said I had to wipe the HD and reboot OSX. I was pissed! 2 weeks they had it, they also pryed the battery off, mangled it, then put it back on!! Before I shipped it, they assured me that I wouldn't lose any files. LOL I should have known better. But, now I own a blackbook, and haven't had any problems.....yet
     
butterfly0fdoom
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Jun 23, 2007, 04:48 AM
 
Well, I've had a minor problem (nit-picking over a non-tactile "S" key), but otherwise, my MacBook has been problem-free.

I do much prefer my iBook's battery life, though.
MacBook Core 2 Duo 2.16 (Black)
iPod classic 160GB
iPhone 8GB
     
maccrack
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Jun 23, 2007, 11:25 AM
 
the new ones are ammmmmazing i dont think youll notice the dif from a new macbook to a 1.5 yr old mbp
white macbook, 2ghz, 1gb of ram, 80gb hd.
     
blueleaf
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Jun 23, 2007, 01:48 PM
 
Well, add one more to the list of people who have had serious problems with my macbook. I got mine late November '06, and the day after I bought it, it just wouldn't start, so I had to take it into the apple store and they fixed it, but it was a huge bummer. Just a week ago, my macbook wouldn't let me log in. Eventually I figured out that I had to reinstall Mac OSX and I managed to save all my files but still...

My macbook doesn't "just work" and I'm not very happy with it. Hopefully I won't have anymore problems but who knows.
     
tiger
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Jun 23, 2007, 01:56 PM
 
Originally Posted by blueleaf View Post
Well, add one more to the list of people who have had serious problems with my macbook. I got mine late November '06, and the day after I bought it, it just wouldn't start, so I had to take it into the apple store and they fixed it, but it was a huge bummer. Just a week ago, my macbook wouldn't let me log in. Eventually I figured out that I had to reinstall Mac OSX and I managed to save all my files but still...

My macbook doesn't "just work" and I'm not very happy with it. Hopefully I won't have anymore problems but who knows.
Seems like you got a lemon, I got my MacBook along with a few other people I know who got it in November 06. Those MacBooks haven't had one problem with them worked just great. However there's always one that slips, back when I had an iBook G3 I had to get it repaired a few times.

Originally Posted by butterfly0fdoom
I do much prefer my iBook's battery life, though.
Perhaps it has to do with my terrible experience with iBooks but honestly their batteries sucked. I've got 200 charge cycles on my MacBook and its still at 97% charge capacity...
     
crazeinc  (op)
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Jun 23, 2007, 02:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by tiger View Post
Perhaps it has to do with my terrible experience with iBooks but honestly their batteries sucked. I've got 200 charge cycles on my MacBook and its still at 97% charge capacity...
It's not so much the longevity I'm talking about, I'm referring to only getting 3.5 hours on a MB compared to the 5 I used to get with my iBook. My old MB Pro would get 3, so this isn't a iBook/Powerbook difference anymore.
     
tiger
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Jun 23, 2007, 03:17 PM
 
Originally Posted by crazeinc View Post
It's not so much the longevity I'm talking about, I'm referring to only getting 3.5 hours on a MB compared to the 5 I used to get with my iBook. My old MB Pro would get 3, so this isn't a iBook/Powerbook difference anymore.
Brand new, my iBook gave me about 4 hours and dropped to half of its capacity after about a year. This MacBook also gives me about 4 hours of battery life and its capacity hasn't dropped. As you can see I use the battery quite a bit.. a couple hundred cycles now.
     
butterfly0fdoom
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Jun 23, 2007, 11:21 PM
 
Originally Posted by tiger View Post
Brand new, my iBook gave me about 4 hours and dropped to half of its capacity after about a year. This MacBook also gives me about 4 hours of battery life and its capacity hasn't dropped. As you can see I use the battery quite a bit.. a couple hundred cycles now.
Oh. Well, my iBook's battery used to last 6 hours, but, after 2 years, it's dropped down to 4 hours. My MacBook lasts me about 2.5. Guess which one I use for traveling?
MacBook Core 2 Duo 2.16 (Black)
iPod classic 160GB
iPhone 8GB
     
   
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